Sanitary napkin.



M. KOJIMA.

SANITARY NAPKIN.

` APPLxoAfrIon FILED JULY 1s, 1914.

112353114.. .PatenaJan.5,1915j MASAYOSHI KOJIMA, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SANITARY NAPKIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

Application filed. July 16, 1914. Serial N o. 851,261.

To aZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, MAsAYosHr KOJIMA, a subject of the Emperor of Japan, and residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Sanitary Napkin, of Which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to napkins to be used in catamenial appliances, and the main object of the invention is to provide such a napkin, having alarge absorbent capacity and being inexpensive, with a reinforcing fabric, which fabric may be quickly and easily removed from the napkin, or may be used Without disturbing the remainder of the napkin and permit the remainder of the napkin, which is of a material soluble in water, such as paper, to be thrown into the sewer without danger of clogging the pipes, while the fabric that has been removed will be in comparatively unsoiled condition and capable of being folded up into a very small parcel that may be easily carried away or disposed of. By this construction I am able to construct a napkin, which, after being used, may be thrown into the sewer, without danger of clogging the same, as the reinforcing fabric is removable and so combined with the other lelements of the napkin that it provides an effective reinforcement and does not become soiled.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective of the napkin in position on the suspending means. Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the napkin, as folded. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe napkin, vwith the `outer covering' removed andthe absorbent strip unfolded and the non-absorbent shield flattened out and the absorption pad resting thereon. Fig. 4: is a View, similar to Fig. 3, showing the edges of the non-absorbent shield folded over the edges of the absorption pad. Fig. 5 is a view, showing the absorbent strip folded overA the absorption pad and resting upon the reinforcing fabric, which, in turn, rests upon the outer sheet. Fig. 6 is a view of the under side of the complete device, showing one form. Fig. 7 is a view of the under Side of the complete device, showing another form. Fig. 8 is a perspective i`n detail of the non-absorbent shield, folded, with the absorption pad removed. Fig. 9 is a perspective in detail of the absorption pad, with its coverin in place. Fig. 10 is an enlarged longitu inal section on line :v10-m10 of Fig.` 6. Fig. 11 is a cross section of the device.

Fig. l2 is a View of one end of the modification showing the liap before being glued.

The device consists essentially of live elements: an absorption pad l, a non-absorbent shield 2,' an absorbent strip 3, a reinforcingfabric strip 4, and an outer covering sheet 5. The absorption pad consists of loosely arranged, finely cut or shredded paper 6, around which is wound a covering of absorbent paper. This absorption pad rests upon the non-absorbent shield 2, which is formed of non-absorbent paper, and the edges of the non-absorbent shield 2 are folded over the absorption pad, along the sides at 8, and along the ends at 9, thereby leaving a rectangular opening 10, as clearly shown 1n Figs. 8 and 4l, on the upper side thereof. The absorbent strip is then folded over the absorption pad and its shield in such a way that the ends of the absorbentv strip 3 overlap, as indicated in Fig. 5. The package thus formed lies upon the strip of reinforclng fabric 4, and the fabric 4, in turn, rests upon the outer covering sheet 5, as shown in Fig. 5. With the parts in this position the package is rolled up in such a manner that the outer c overing sheet 5 is completely wrapped around the fabric l and the absorption pad l, and then the edges of the outer covering are secured by small paper tabs 11, pasted across the edges, or the edges may be pasted directly, as in Fig. 7. It is essential that the outer covering be secured without permanently engaging the reinforcing strip 4, and the ends of the reinforcing strip 4 must protrude so as to be accessible, as shown in Fig. 6, in order that, after^"use, the end of the fabric that protrudes/may .be grasped and the fabric readily drawn out of the napkin without disturbing any of the other parts of the napkin and leaving the soiled absorption pad intact in position within the folded covering; or, as shown in Fig. 7 the ends of the-outer covering may be folded over and closed by pasting at 12, and a row of perforations 13 may be provided to enable the end 12 to be readily torn olf after use to give access to the end of the fabric, which in this case, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, extends nearly to the perforations, so that when the end is torn off, the fabriclis easily grasped and withdrawn. The advantage of the form, shown in Fig. 7, is that the napkin is entirely sealed, both at the ends and longitudinally, and yet by simply tearing olf the perforated end the strip of fabric can be /of the pad 1.

l In'order to positively prevent any downward passage from the absorption pad, the absorption shield 2 is provided and both its sides and ends are bent, thereby effectively preventing any passage from the absorption pad to the` reinforcingfabric below the shield, so that the use of the fabric reinforcing strip will not become soiled, and,'when withdrawn, it may be readily folded into a very small, compact andl inconspicuous packf age, which maybe easily disposed of, while theinner remaining and bulky portion `of the napkin may be thrown into the waste pipe. It will be understood thaty the shield 2, although soluble in water, possesses nonabsorbent qualities to act in the capacity for which it is used for the period needed.

What I claim, is:

v1. A sanitary napkin, comprising an absorption pad, an elongated covering sheet around the absorption pad, a reinforcing strip of fabric between the absorption pad and the covering sheet, said covering sheet being secured independently of thel fabric strip, the ends of said fabric strip being ac cessibleto permit the withdrawal ofthe fabric strip after use without disturbing the position of the absorption pad within the outer covering, and a shieldof non-absorbent material on the under side of said absorption pad above said fabric strip, said nonabsorbent shield having marginal `portions, which surround the edges of the labsorption pad and form an open space at the top o f the absorption pad. l

2. A sanitary napkin, comprising an absorption pad, an elongated covering sheet around the absorption pad, a reinforcing strip of fabric between the absorption pad and the covering sheet, said covering sheet being secured independently of the fabric strip, the ends of said fabric strip being accessible to permit the withdrawal of the fabric strip after use without disturbing the position of the absorption pad within the outer covering, a shield of non-absorbent material on the under side of said absorption pad above said fabric strip, said nonabsorbent shield having marginal portions, which surround the edges .of the absorption pad and forman open space at the top of the absorption pad, and an elongated absorbent strip under said absorption pad and above said fabric strip, the ends of said absorbent strip being folded over the top of the absorption pad within the outer covering sheet. s l 3. A sanitary napkin, comprising an ab sorption pad, anlelongated covering sheet.

around the absorption pad, a reinforcing, strip of fabric between the absorption pad and the covering sheet, said covering sheet being secured independently of the fabric strip, the ends of said fabric strip being accessible to permit the withdrawal of the fabric strip after use without disturbing the position of the absorption pad within the outer covering, a shield v of non-absorbent material on .the under side of said absorption pad above said fabric strip, said nonabsorbent shield having marginal portions, which surround the edges of the absorption padl and form an open space at the top of the absorption pad, an elongated absorbent strip under said absorption pad and above said fabric strip, the ends Vof said absorbent strip being folded over the top of the absorption pad within the outer covering sheetthe absorption pad comprising loosely arranged, shredded paper, with an absorbent paper wound thereover, and being inclosed within said absorbent strip.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 10 day of July, 1914.

MASAYOSHI KOJIMA. 

